


the spaces between our fingers

by bluejayblueskies



Series: TMA Fantasy Week [3]
Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Non-Sexual Intimacy, TMA Fantasy Week (The Magnus Archives), Wing Grooming, Wingfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-24 03:01:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30065655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluejayblueskies/pseuds/bluejayblueskies
Summary: “Stay still.”Jon shivers as Martin’s hands brush against his shoulder blades, where feather meets skin. “Sorry,” he says sheepishly. “It just feels—well, you know.”
Relationships: Martin Blackwood/Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist
Series: TMA Fantasy Week [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2208423
Comments: 5
Kudos: 90





	the spaces between our fingers

**Author's Note:**

> written for tma fantasy week for prompt 3: wings

“Stay still.”

Jon shivers as Martin’s hands brush against his shoulder blades, where feather meets skin. “Sorry,” he says sheepishly. “It just feels—well, you know.”

Martin hums and gently begins to card his fingers through Jon’s feathers, working underneath the coverts to remove the grains of dust and dirt that have collected there. “I know,” he says, his own wings fluttering for a moment before settling once again. “But it’ll be easier if you stay still. I don’t want to—”

“—hurt me, I know,” Jon says, in the teasing manner of someone who’s heard the same argument over and over again until it’s become a routine. “You won’t.” He reaches a hand back and settles it atop Martin’s knee, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I trust you.”

Martin sucks in a breath— _still flustered, even after all these months,_ Jon thinks with amusement—and his hands still for a moment before resuming their ministrations. Martin adjusts a few feathers back into place and Jon melts, the itching of dust and debris and bent feathers fading away beneath Martin’s fingertips.

“You always do mine first,” Jon says after a long while, after Martin’s moved on to his secondaries. It’s not an accusation; merely an observation. “It’s very kind of you, and- and I appreciate it, but I…” Jon pauses, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth, before continuing, “I wish you would let me take care of you the same way you take care of me.”

Jon doesn’t have to see Martin’s face to picture the small frown there, forming a crinkle between his eyebrows. “But you _do_. You’re- you’re quite thorough,” he says lightly. “No complaints here.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Jon says softly, the words dissolving into a blissful sigh as Martin dislodges a particularly bothersome clump of debris. He has trouble keeping his wings clean on the best of days, and their flight through the forest—flitting from branch to branch, headless of the twigs and leaves in their way—certainly didn’t help. Martin removes one of the aforementioned twigs a moment later, and Jon actually _moans_ , much to his embarrassment.

“It seems like you’re enjoying yourself,” Martin says, humored. He presses a quick kiss to the top of Jon’s head before continuing to work his fingers between Jon’s feathers. After a moment, though, he says, quieter, “I like doing this for you. If it… if it bothers you, you can preen mine first next time. But I- I’m not doing it out of obligation or self-sacrifice or something.” Martin removes another twig, drawing a gasp from Jon’s lips that devolves into a pleased hum. “I’m doing it because I love you.”

“I love you too,” Jon says earnestly, leaning back into Martin’s touch with a contented sigh.

“Is this okay, then?” Martin says, meticulously straightening a few feathers as he does do.

“Of course,” Jon says, affection dripping from his voice like rainwater.

Martin presses a soft kiss to Jon’s shoulder, running his fingers through Jon’s feathers in a soothing, rhythmic motion that has Jon shivering apart under his touch. “All right.”

**Author's Note:**

> comments and kudos make my day! if you liked what you read, let me know 💛
> 
> find me on tumblr [@bluejayblueskies](https://bluejayblueskies.tumblr.com/)


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